


To Be Imprison'd In The Viewless Winds

by Shenandoah76209



Series: Chains [6]
Category: Firefly, Pitch Black (2000), Riddick (2013), Serenity (2005), The Chronicles of Riddick Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:22:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shenandoah76209/pseuds/Shenandoah76209
Summary: Riddick couldn't quite resolve in his mind River's close and loving relationship with her brother and the dispassionate reunion he witnessed on Beaumonde.
Relationships: Richard B. Riddick/River Tam
Series: Chains [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/411024
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	To Be Imprison'd In The Viewless Winds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LazyDaisy85](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyDaisy85/gifts).



> To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside  
> In thrilling region of thick-ribbed ice;  
> To be imprison'd in the viewless winds,  
> And blown with restless violence round about  
> The pendent world; or to be worse than worst  
> Of those that lawless and incertain thought  
> Imagine howling: 'tis too horrible!  
> \--Measure For Measure, William Shakespeare

Riddick glanced at his little woman thoughtfully. They’d given themselves a day after leaving Beaumonde, to relax, be with each other and decompress from everything that had happened. Tomorrow they’d start working on the Kerry job. Kitten had curled up against him, playing with some number game while he read. Now that he’d had time to think about everything that had happened with her old crew something didn’t seem quite right.

After Persephone, when she’d taken off like a bat out of hell at the sight of her old Captain and First Mate, he’d never seen her cry like that. Seeing her brother alive… and fuck if that hadn’t been a shock. Kitten had been almost painfully controlled. He knew his woman pretty well and that would not have been his prediction for the reunion. If he’d even thought there’d be a reunion.

She turned and looked up at him, that smile he’d only seen for him curving her mouth and he couldn’t help leaning down and kissing her. He would never have thought a woman like her would want someone like him, much less love him.

“He is thinking on something troubling?” Kitten’s dark eyes saw everything. Even if she hadn’t been a Reader he’d have bet she would know him too well.

“Just… tryin’ to resolve something in my mind,” Riddick pulled her into his lap. “You dealing with seeing _Serenity’s_ crew again… Seem pretty okay about it.”

“Difficult,” She cuddled against him. “To know they don’t understand completely…why she cannot go back.”

“Simon and Jayne seemed to get it,” He really hadn’t expected that. Just proved that every now and then people could surprise him. And hearing that they’d had to drug her while River had been crazy… Yeah he hadn’t been surprised by that. Hadn’t liked it much. And it just reinforced her reasons for not going back.

“He expected her to break down again,” Kitten pressed her lips to his neck.

“Not exactly,” He hadn’t. She’d dealt with her past long before they’d been cornered on Beaumonde. He knew why she’d run on Persephone, why she’d wanted to avoid her old crew, and she’d worked through that grief and the sense of betrayal she’d had from the crew’s thoughts of blame. “Biggest shock would be seeing your brother alive. Half expected you’d be hanging onto him the entire time they were around.”

“Ahh…” She’d figured what he’d been getting at. “Expected her control to fail.”

“Well I don’t know much about sibling relationships,” Riddick conceded. “But I know you love him. And he loves you. He proved it to you. Got you out of that lab. And you kept him and the rest of them alive on Universe’s moon.” He rubbed a hand up and down that slender spine. Little woman had more steel in her that five dozen men. “You might’ve just met the day before. That just how you two are?”

Kitten looked up at him, “Knows how hard she’s worked. To keep control of her mind. Not allow emotion to influence her actions… stay sane.”

“Yeah,” She’d told him once. When he’d asked how she could stand to let Luna live, how she’d even managed to keep from going crazy and trying to slaughter all of them. Her answer had just made him admire her more. Survival. Above all else. Stay alive. Keeping control of her abilities, of her emotions and extending that control to her physical reactions… embracing the training that lab/academy had programed into her.

Kitten was more like him than he’d ever thought back when they first met. She’d been almost embarrassed to admit that she’d nearly lost it back when he’d been slammed with horse tranqs and Johns’ rifle butt. When Santana had tried to rape her again. Apparently she’d fought like a wild animal, managed to hold him off until Dahl and the others had pulled him off of her.

Not like he had a lot of room to talk. He’d lost his shit more than a few times in his life. “So you felt like you’d lose it with him?” He indulged himself, tucking a stray strand of dark silky hair behind her ear.

“Trust my big man, my _bàng jiār_ ,” She’d snaked her hand under his shirt to feel his heart with her palm. “Keeps me safe, she keeps him safe,” Kitten murmured. “But control…kept me alive…for so long. And with all of _Serenity’s_ crew around… didn’t feel safe letting go of control with them. Jayne and Simon…wouldn’t judge…but the rest…”

“What’d you figure their reaction’d be?” He looked down at her trying to figure what they’d have done and not coming up with much.

“A wave of pity,” Kitten mused. “Cap’n would think the girl needed to be home, under _Serenity’s_ wings. Kaylee wanting her home, all but Simon and Jayne thinking the girl must be taken care of. Saying she must come with them. Waves of sticky self-righteous thoughts that they know best for her.”

“If you’d hugged him and cried?” Riddick wasn’t sure why they’d take what he was pretty sure was a normal reaction to such extremes.

“Never understood truly, what she is, how she was trained, even after the Reavers,” That soft elegant voice, stained with grief as she explained to him. “Should she break down, weep, and cling to her brothers… they would never believe she can live and work and have a life away from them.”

Oh, now if they’d started making noises like that…he’d’ve been hard pressed to keep from losing it himself. If she’d wanted to go, that’d be one thing, he’d half expected that once he saw her brother was alive.

“So they’ve started making noises like you’re still the little crazy girl can’t take care of herself and shouldn’t be out in the world if you’d broken down,” He surmised. “Reality of you earning a living with me, running this boat, that wouldn’t make a dent?”

“Crew is notorious for stubbornness,” Kitten shook her head. “Especially Mal.”

“Yeah, got the impression he’s used to ‘what he says goes’ what with being in charge of his boat,” Riddick had not cared for the man’s attitude one little bit.

“Very much so,” She agreed.

“Maybe send Simon a wave? Or a letter? You mentioned it was a big deal when the folks got post,” Riddick suggested. “Think your brother deserves something like that. Or maybe invite him here, talk to him in private?”

“Wouldn’t mind?” Kitten looked up at his face searching for something she wasn’t Reading in his thoughts.

“ _Cào dàn_ no,” He shook his head. “He’s your brother. Probably be a good idea that I know him at least a bit.”

“Will send a letter explaining,” She nodded. “Next time they are planetside, invite him for tea.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Those lips. That mouth. Yeah, he wasn’t going to finish this book today… Luckily she had the same idea, tilting her face up to meet his kiss.

* * *

He could smell her tears the minute he hit the stairs and cursed before he heard her brother’s voice. With everything that had gone on since they’d run into _Serenity_ on Beaumonde they hadn’t met up again in a while. They’d given Simon a scare when they’d been out of wave range dealing with the Necromongers and then Furya.

This was the first time work had eased up enough that Simon and River could really sit and talk. Riddick had volunteered to act the red herring and distract the rest of the crew. Luckily Cobb was on board with that and helped out with giving Kitten and her brother a few hours of privacy.

And they’d gotten another job out of it so that was always good.

“Hey,” He greeted them quietly as Dog bounced up to do his sniff inspection. “Everything go okay?”

“Riddick,” Simon greeted him. Evidence suggested River hadn’t been the only one in tears. But the two of them seemed all right, “I think so. River explained a bit more about how you two developed your partnership. Though she has glossed over how the two of you met.”

“Yeah, that’s…probably something your whole crew should hear at the same time,” Riddick chuckled dryly. Kitten nodded her agreement and he moved towards her for a kiss. “But since we’re doin’ a relay job with your crew seems like we’ll have the opportunity.”

“Got the job?” Kitten grinned as he put her down again.

“Yep,” He nodded. “And Reynolds is making noises about taking off soonest.”

“Well I’ll see you soon then _mèi mei_ ,” Simon hugged her warmly and smoothed one hand over her dark hair. “I love you River. Thank you, for taking the time to explain.” He picked up his cane and offered Riddick his hand. “I owe you thanks as well, Riddick. Somehow I doubt she would have healed if you hadn’t agreed to be her partner.”

Damn he really didn’t like it when folks got grateful when he did something in his own self-interest. “Yeah well, couldn’t have done anything else,” He shrugged uncomfortably.

“ _Shí jīng hèn wǎn_ ,” Simon bowed, elegant despite his secondhand clothes and cane.

“Will see you out,” Kitten smiled.

* * *

He was programing in their next course when she came onto the bridge, “Arranged for a cargo for us to take to Hera, gives us reason for being there. Then we can meet up with _Serenity_ after we deliver it, take on the relay cargo.”

“Thought of everything,” River smiled as he tugged her into his lap. “He is the best _bàng jiār_ in the ‘verse. “Love my Riddick, so much.”

“Love my River, my Kitten,” Truth. He never thought he’d love someone ever, much less love a woman like he did her. He’d only nearly had to lose her to figure it out. But he’d never take her being with him for granted as a result.

“Take us out of the world, and she will show him how much he is appreciated,” Her teeth scraped over his throat and he groaned.

“Fuck you right here if you keep that up,” He growled and she giggled.

“She will be waiting for him in their bed,” Teasing slender fingers began to tug her shirt open as she left the bridge.

Well hell, with a promise like that he’d set a new record for take offs. Riddick grinned wickedly and set to work.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: LazyDaisy85 pointed out that River’s reunion with Simon wasn’t exactly fraught with emotion. And I wanted to address that. It seemed like Riddick would find the emotional distance confusing when he compared it to River’s stories about her and Simon growing up and on Serenity.
> 
> Chinese Translations:
> 
> bàng jiār (lover / partner)
> 
> Cào dàn (fuck)
> 
> mèi mei (little sister)
> 
> Shí jīng hèn wǎn (it is a great honor to meet you and I regret it is not sooner)


End file.
